Multiple-unit heater.



W. S. ELLIOTT.

MULTIPLE UNIT HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.22, 1912.

1 9 1 39, l 72.. Patented May 11, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

gill i n/WIT? 4 9 1 WITNESSES INVENTOR ut: S 7519mm THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTC-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D4 64 W. S. ELLIOTT.

MULTIPLE U N|T HEATER. APPLICATION FILED NOV-22, 1912 1,139,172. Patented May 11,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

8 WITNESSES N INVENTOR w, 4 & m A

THE-NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. B4 C4 WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MULTIPLE-UNIT HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed November 22, 1912. Serial No. 732,904..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Multiple-Unit Heater, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of heater embodying my invention, portions of the heater units being in section; Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one of the float devices; Fig. 4 is a side view showing a modification; and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views showing other modifications.

The several views are more or less conventional in their showing.

My invention has relation to multiple unit heaters, particularly designed for use in heating boiler feed water.

The object of my invention is to provide a heater of this character, which may be composed of any desired number of units connected in parallel between the steam and water supply lines in such a manner that any one or moreof the units may be out out, as may be desired. Also to provide a heater of this character having means for automatically maintaining the desired water level in the several units to insure that the pump which is connected to the water delivery pipe will draw equally from all the units or in proportion to their respective capacities.

Referring first to that form of my invention which is shown in Fig. l, the numerals 2 and 3 designate two heater units placed end to end. These units may be, in general, of any suitable character. 4.- designates a water supply main for the heaters, and which may lead from a hot well, or other source of supply. This pipe is provided with branches 4*, one of which leads to each of the heater units and is in turn branched as shown at 5 to supply water at diflerent points along the length of the unit. In the arrangement shown. eachbranch pipe 5 has three connections with its unit, namely, a central connection, and a connection near each end of the unit. Each of these connections is provided with a valve 6, which is arranged to be opened and closed by the lever and link connections 7 from a float 8 located in a float chamber 9 communicating with the interior of the heater. Each of the branches 4? is also shown as having a hand valve 10 by means of which the supply to the unit may be cut off. Inasmuch as there is a certain loss of water in the system supplied by the heater, I provide the supply line 4 with a make-up water connection 11. This connection is controlled by valve 12, which is, in turn, controlled through the connections 13, by a float in a float chamber 14:,which is placed intermediate of the two units and is connected therewith by the pipes 15. These pipes enter the units at a comparatively low level; and when the water in the units reaches this level, the float will operate to open the valve 12 and thus admit additional water to the units. 16 designates the main exhaust steam line, which extends between the adjacent ends of the two units and has a branch 17 leading into the end of each unit. The communication between each branch 17 and its corresponding units is controlled by valve 18. These valves 18 may be opened and closed in any suitable manner, as by the hand wheels 19 suitably geared thereto, and whereby the supply of steam to either unit may be cut oil. A live steam connection may also be provided at 20, if desired. Each unit is provided with a water delivery pipe at 21, these two delivery pipes leading into a common well or chamber 22 having the olftake connection 23 to which the pump (shown diagrammatically atP in Fig. 1) which forces the water back to the boilers is attached. Each pipe 21 is provided with the outwardly opening check valve 24. By bringing the pipes 21 into a common delivery chamber or well, and by the provision of the check valves 24,1 prevent the pump from drawing excessively from either heater unit; Should the water level in one of the units become lower than in the other unit, not only will there be a greater pressure tending to open the check valve controlling the delivery of the last named unit; but this greater pressure will tend to hold closed the check valve controlling the delivery from the unit having the lower water level. I, therefore, provide for the maintenance of a substantially uniform water level in each heater.

Fig. 4: shows the application of my invention to a heater comprising two units of unequal size. By supporting the smaller unit 3 as shown in this figure, at such a level that its longitudinal axis will coincide with the longitudinal axis of the larger unit 2, a

uniform water level is maintained in the two units in the same manner as in Fig. 1. The larger unit is shown in Fig. 4 as having four connections 6*, with the water supply pipe, while the smaller unit only has three of these connections. The arrangement is otherwise substantially the same as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows the application of my invention to a heater comprising four units, 25, 26, 27 and 28. These four units are arranged in two pairs, the units of each pair being arranged side by side and in endwise axial alinement with the corresponding units of the other pair. 29 designates the main water supply pipe having the branches 30, each branch 30 having in turn two branches 31, each of which leads to a distributing pipe 32. Each distributing pipe 32 is connected with its adjacent unit through the several connections 33. 34 des-- ignates the steam line having a branch connection 35 with each unit. The water delivery pipes 36 of the units 27 and 28 are connected to a common well or chamber 37, while the water delivery connections 38 from the units 25 and 26 lead to a common well or chamber 39. The two Wells or chambers 37 and 39 are connected with a common delivery well or chamber 40, from which leads the water offtake 41.

Fig. 6 shows another form of heater system having four units 42, 43, 44 and 45. In this arrangement, the units are placed end to end, the units 42 and 43 constituting one pair, and the units 44 and 45 another pair. 46 is a steam supply line having the branches 47 leading to the respective pairs of units. 48 is a water supply pipe having the branches 49 supplying the sub-branches 50, which are in turn connected to the distributing pipes 51. The water connections 52, from each pair of units are connected to a common well or chamber 53, and the two wells or chambers 53, are connected to a common delivery well or chamber 54 having an offtake 55.

Fig. 7 shows still another embodiment of my invention, in which three heater units 56, 57 and 58 are arranged side by side. In this figure 59 designates the steam supply pipe having a branch 60 supplying each unit. 61 is the water supply pipe which is connected to the distributing pipe 62 of the units. 63s designate the water delivery connections, which all lead to a common ofitake well or chamber 64.

All the different embodiments of my invention may be provided with controlling valves similar to those shown in Fig. 1; but if desired, a single float-operated valve may be employed to control the water supply to each unit, and in all the different forms the discharge of each of the water ofi'take pipes 65 into a junction chamber or well is controlled by a check valve, as in Fig. 1, so that the maintenance of a uniform water level in the several units is insured. It will be apparent that my invention is susceptible of various other embodiments within the scope of the appended claims; and that it may be adapted to heaters employing a larger number of units than those illustrated. For instance, it will be readily seen that the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 might be duplicated by the addition of three other units at the opposite side of the ofitake well or chamber 64. The arrangement is in each case a symmetrical one, and can be well adapted in each case to the particular requirements of space and location. Any one or more units in the heater can be readily cut out by the manipulation of hand valves without interfering with the operation of the remaining unit or units.

In the arrangement shown in either of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, any one or more of the units may be of smaller capacity than the other unit or units by arranging them at different levels as in Fig. 4. It will also be understood that the arrangement shown in any of Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 may be provided with an auxiliary or make-up water supply, as in Fig. 1.

What I claim is l. A multiple unit heater, comprising a plurality of heater units connected in parallel between steam and water supply conduits, and a common delivery well or chamber to which the water outlets of all the units are connected, and each of the outlet connections to said well or chamber having an outwardly opening check valve therein, said check valves mutually controlling each other; substantially as described.

2. A multiple unit heater, comprising a plurality of heater units, a water supply conduit having a branch leading to each unit, a steam supply conduit also having a branch leading to each unit, and a common water delivery chamber or well to which the water outlets of all the units are connected, each of said outlets having an outwardly opening check valve, said check valves mutually controlling each other; substantially as described.

3. A multiple unit heater, comprising a plurality of heater units connected in parallel between steam and water supply conduits, said units being arranged in pairs, a junction boX to which the water outlets of each pair are connected, and a delivery chamber or well to which all the junction boxes are connected; substantially as described.

4. A multiple unit heater, comprising a plurality of heater units connected in parallel between steam and water supply conduits, said units being arranged in pairs, a unction box to Which the water outlets of each pair are connected, and a delivery chamber or Well to which all the junction boxes are connected, each Water outlet connection having an outwardly opening check valve therein, the check valves of each junction boX and of the delivery chamber mutually controlling each other; substantially as described.

5. A multiple unit heater, comprising a plurality of heater units connected in parallel between steam and water supply conduits, each unit having means for automatically controlling the level of Water therein, a

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set go my hand.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. BLEMING, GEO. I-I. PARMELEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

